Trunk roping and fastening appliance.



J. M. ROBINSON. TRUNK ROPING' AND FASTENING APPLIANCE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 13, 1909.

937,321 I Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

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I I %/s lira 10112 1 JESSE M. ROBINSON, OF ALAIVIEDA, CALIFORNIA.

TRUNK ROPING AND FASTENING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application filed December 13, 1909. Serial No. 532,771.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn M. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunk Roping and Fastening Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in an appliance for drawing a rope or a strap tightly around a closed trunk or a boX and fastening it in such a secure manner that it cannot be easily unfastened and removed except by the proper person, the purpose of the appliance being to take the strain from the hinges and lock or other fastenings, and to prevent the trunk from being broken open under the rough handling and usage to which it is ordinarily exposed in transportation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convenient and efiective means of securing a rope or a strap upon a trunk or other like receptacle in such manner that it cannot easily be detached and removed by mischievous or dishonest persons who may desire to appropriate the same.

The trunk roping appliance of my invention consists in coupling means of novel construction adapted to be attached to or fixed in place 011' a trunk or other receptacle of the kind and so combined with a rope that when operated it will draw the rope tightly and securely around the trunk and will lock or fasten it together by the ends.

The following description describes at length the nature of the said invention, and the manner in which I proceed to construct, produce and carry out the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated the preferred construction and embodiment of the in vention.

Figure 1 of the drawing represents in perspectlve a trunk of any well known construction roped and fastened by means of my device or appliance. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale of the rope stretching and fastening appliance. Fig. 3 is an end-view of the upper part or member of the appliance shown in Fig. 2, the same being a view from the lower side of that part. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the lower coupling member, with the screw-threaded rod removed showing a looking device by means of which the screwrod is fastened. Fig. 5 represents a form or construction of movable block employed when a Hat band or strap is used in place of a rope or wire.

A novel feature in the roping appliance of my invention consists in a coupling composed of two blocks or members (t-b connected by a screw-threaded rod or coupling member (Z, and means for coupling the said coupling blocks or members in place upon the trunk in line with each other and in which either one or both of said members are movable to a limited extent toward or away from each other according to the direction in which the said coupling screw may be rotated, the said members (.ib being each slotted or otherwise perforated or ap ertured to take one end of a rope and grip or firmly hold the same.

The blocks a; and b may be substantially of the same shape and size, so as to be interchangeable, and each is slotted or apertured for inserting the end of a wire rope, the apertures being preferably enlarged at one end to let in the knot or enlarged head 0 formed on the end of the rope, and of sufficiently reduced diameter at the opposite end to prevent the rope from being drawn through and separated from the block. While this constitutes a simple and eflective means for securing the coupling member on the end of the rope, I do not desire to be understood as restricting the device to such particular way of securing the couplings on the ends of the rope, as it will be evident that other means will answer the purpose, such as providing a loop or eye on the coupling and securing the end of the rope by a hitch or by passing a rivet through the coupling at the point of tying and clenching or upsetting the rivet. Such alternative fastening means is illustrated in Fig. 5. It has the advantage also of furnishin an effective means of fastening the end 0 a strap or flat band to the coupling member, when it is desired to employ a strap or band in place of a rope.

The couplings a-b are bored and threaded for the coupling rod (Z, the ends of which on opposite sides of the square shank e are screw-threaded respectively with a right hand and left hand thread, so that by turning the rod after the ends are inserted in the sockets in the blocks, the latter will be drawn toward each other and the rope put in tension and drawn tightly around the trunk.

This is done by applying a wrench or key to the square portion 6 of the shank and giving it a few turns in the required direction.

The clamping plates 6-7 are secured to the trunk by screws, but preferably by bolts 9 inserted from the outside and drawn up by nuts it applied from the inside of the trunk, in order that the parts may not be removed by mischievous or lawless persons without breaking or otherwise tampering with the fastenings in such manner as to expose the work or efforts.

As a means of preventing the couplingrod d from being tampered with or turned too rapidly, I provide a guard therefor, consisting of a strong bar wt, preferably of metal, attached by a hinge oint p at one end to the trunk and fastened down over the couplings by a staple ,1?" let through a slot in the bar near the opposite end, and arranged to take a padlock s. This bar being of proper length and width to extend across and cover to a greater or less extent the couplings of the two ropes or straps when that number is applied to the trunk, will prevent access to the coupling rods or screws as long as it is fastened by its own locksuch a bar will also protect the lock of the trunk by being properly located and arranged to extend or lie across the hasp of the lock.

Fig. t illustrates a locking means which may be employed where a single rope or strap is found sufficient, or the guard bar may be considered cumbersome or undesirable. Such means consisting of a locking pin 2 loosely fitted to turn in a cavity 3 in the block and having a spur or In 4: projecting fromone side of its axis into the screw-threaded socket or recess, the end of the pin 2 being slotted, or otherwise shaped to take a key 5.

By inserting the end of the key within the cavity to engage the end of the pin 2, the

latter can be partially rotated with the effect to set the lug 4 either into or out of engagement with the screw-rod d and thereby either lock or release the same. As the aperture to receive the key is reached from the underside it is not easily found and the lock tampered with.

The saddle pieces or wearing plates to are fixed on the outside of the trunk to receive and retain the ropes in position and prevent them from wearing the surfaces of the trunk.

I claim 1. In a roping appliance for a trunk or like receptacle, the combination of a rope adapted to extend around the same, coupling blocks having threaded sockets on each end of the rope, means for attaching the coupling blocks to the trunk, one of said blocks being slidable in its fastening, a coupling member connecting said blocks, and having screw-threaded portions fitted to the screwthreaded sockets in the coupling blocks, and a locking device on one block adapted to engage the said coupling member and prevent the rotation of the same in the block.

2. A roping appliance for a trunk or like JESSE M. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

E. E. OsBoRN, M. REGNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

